Oceania interaction on CC

This is just an observation, on the Azamara board, Bonnie McLaird has been appointed as the Azamara internet rep, or Chief Blogging Officer as they call it. If folk have a query they can address it to her or she picks up an issue that has been raised and can provide an authoritative answer from the company.

On here we see many issues where speculation and misunderstanding of what is provided leads to what amounts to bad PR for Oceania.

Surely it's time for O to recognise that it would be beneficial to have a presence across the various strands of social media, in order to inform and provide a channel for their customers to interact effectively with the company.

In the early years FDR would post here & solve some issues

He no longer has time

I agree it would be nice to have someone answer some of the major questions

Most questions to Bonnie & Bill before her are things people could easily find on the website

JMO

For quite some time Michael Moore, O (and Regent's) IT guru, often remarked on CC post involving O website and tech glitches -even inviting personal e-mail exchanges on major FUBARs.

Haven't heard from him in awhile. Of course, O website has been working nicely lately.

Not sure an O rep on here would really work. Would they feel required to correct any misstatements they see? Sometimes the facts they might uncover would possibley not agree with particular posts.Since some explanations are a bit complex, do we really want to see lengthy paragraphs, etc.

I have seen CC "Verified Account" posting's on other CC boards by social media reps...most notably on Crystal, but even NCL "once-in-a-blue-moon" rep will respond occasionally, although I haven't seen any in quite some time.

Most of these responses are only answered selectively, and simply starting a thread asking for them, usually has no result.

Paul;

On a different thread very anecdotal examples have been given showing that Oceania does monitor these threads already. And responds to posters as they deem appropriate. If they chose to respond to the cancellation issues, they could have already. I don’t believe having an “ assigned “ person would alter that. They don’t choose to respond! Sad, but a reality.

I see people on the Azamara board continuously asking Bonnie for help with issues and problems that they could easily address with their TAs. To me these boards should be about communications among posters, not between posters and cruise line reps.

I see people on the Azamara board continuously asking Bonnie for help with issues and problems that they could easily address with their TAs. To me these boards should be about communications among posters, not between posters and cruise line reps.

+1

Very well said

I am always happy to answer Oceania questions that answers are not available from LHT/ORV/Jim and Stan,Paul Chili and the scores of other people on here that are so knowledgeable..

Jancruz1

No but they could respond to something like my O cruise was cancelled for a second time and provide info on why??

What an interesting point... However , I suggest that a written response is not what O wants to have or be held to ? Phone conversation can not be reliably held against them.

They dont want to leave a electronic or paper trail that they could be held accountable to.

I think many cruisers new to Oceania, are still using their old TA, who I know in our case, had no clue of premium plus or luxury lines. We have since switched, but there are a lot of TA’s out there that have no clue about anything but mass mkt cruises. This makes it hard to get clear answers to common questions. Don’t get me started about people not searching in this forum or on the Oceania website for answers.

Then there is the case of some new people asking a question & when told by several people the correct answer continue to argue that the regular cruisers are not correct ;)

Then there is the case of some new people asking a question & when told by several people the correct answer continue to argue that the regular cruisers are not correct ;)

... like the person the other day who kept asking if he could take his personal booze into public areas....

This is just an observation, on the Azamara board, Bonnie McLaird has been appointed as the Azamara internet rep, or Chief Blogging Officer as they call it. If folk have a query they can address it to her or she picks up an issue that has been raised and can provide an authoritative answer from the company.

 

On here we see many issues where speculation and misunderstanding of what is provided leads to what amounts to bad PR for Oceania.

 

Surely it's time for O to recognise that it would be beneficial to have a presence across the various strands of social media, in order to inform and provide a channel for their customers to interact effectively with the company.

Considering what a tiny portion of total cruisers, "CC" actually makes, why bother? Check ANY roll call on any line & you'll see CC members are but a blip on the screen.

I am always happy to answer Oceania questions that answers are not available from LHT/ORV/Jim and Stan,Paul Chili and the scores of other people on here that are so knowledgeable..

Jancruz1

Mura is also a good source of unbiased info. Reading a lot of her posts & the others mentioned gave us enough info. to try O & we loved it. Booked again this Jan. for 14 days.

Considering what a tiny portion of total cruisers, "CC" actually makes, why bother? Check ANY roll call on any line & you'll see CC members are but a blip on the screen.

I had a conversation with a lady on our last cruise that I feel is very common. She told me she reads CC all the time but never posts. I'd say about 10% on most cruises post, and probably another 10-20% read. I think it's a little larger than tiny. CC is the largest resource for cruise information on the internet.

But like the saying goes 87% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

Oh my, thank you for the compliment! But I'm not alone here ... try Lyn for one!

Mura

joining the fan club ;)

there are several regulars here that contribute a lot of good info for new people & enlighten some of us regulars ;)

Mura is also a good source of unbiased info. Reading a lot of her posts & the others mentioned gave us enough info. to try O & we loved it. Booked again this Jan. for 14 days.

Sorry I forgot you Mura..you are great..

there are too many good sources on here for me to remember all..

Jancruz1

Before our very first cruise in 2011 on Regatta, I was all over this board - reading and learning. Asked a few questions, but mostly just read new posts and their responses daily. When I boarded, although there were still a lot of new experiences, I didn't feel like such a total geek in the buffet, at the pool, etc.

Cruise Critic was an invaluable resource and I still check back in the months before our next cruise to see what's up! Now anticipating our 15th cruise with Oceania so guess I learned enough to keep coming back!

Considering what a tiny portion of total cruisers, "CC" actually makes, why bother? Check ANY roll call on any line & you'll see CC members are but a blip on the screen.

While CC may only be a small percentage of the passenger's on a cruise, I think that they for the most part, make of some of the most well traveled and knowledgeable passenger's. And they are more than happy to share that knowledge with other's either new to cruising, or new to a particular line....

And CC has 'cred' with most of the cruise lines, who support CC in setting up Meet and Greet parties on board. In fact, on my last cruise on another line, a rather large group of people that were organized on that "large social media" group, had to "crash" our M&G, as the cruise line would not "recognize" them to provide them with their own party...;)

Considering what a tiny portion of total cruisers, "CC" actually makes, why bother? Check ANY roll call on any line & you'll see CC members are but a blip on the screen.

Greetings from South Beach, keithm. I agree with you. When we are aboard any vessel, I sometimes ask people if they read or post on CC. Very few have even heard of CC. Quite a few tell me they don't want to critique cruises. On our TA last year on Explorer, MIA to BCN, I did meet two couples that do post on CC. On that cruise we also had a Meet & Greet hosted by the ship, and we met CCs there.

Today, attending Oceania Club cocktail party one typically hears that 66%+ of the passengers are previous O cruisers. On one of my past cruises it was 82%. A lot of “been there done that”. What I hear more often is that they know about CC, and may of even utilized it a decade ago when the first started sailing O, but it’s not of current value to them. I was asked not long ago “ Do they still have the long rancorous fights over dress codes?” I laughed! Based on experience, a lot of people feel they personally know the answers, and just aren’t interested in participating.

My TA has a straight line into theOceania Regional mgr that oversees the TAs. She doesn’t talk to the customer reps manning the 800 numbers. Any answers I get from her comes from farther up the food chain than a “Blogging Officer “. That option is open to all, if they’d us it.

You can still get a lot of useful info on CC, and often times well before the cruise line decides to disseminate such info, especially if it pertains to negative changes in policy or costs. Also, you get lots of tips on particular matter's, that are not mentioned in any of the cruise lines promotional brochure's or online sources. And for many, one of the most useful part's of CC, is meeting people via the roll call for your cruise in advance, and planning private shore excursion's that are usually better and cheaper than that offered by the cruise line.

Before our very first cruise in 2011 on Regatta, I was all over this board - reading and learning. Asked a few questions, but mostly just read new posts and their responses daily. When I boarded, although there were still a lot of new experiences, I didn't feel like such a total geek in the buffet, at the pool, etc.

 

Cruise Critic was an invaluable resource and I still check back in the months before our next cruise to see what's up! Now anticipating our 15th cruise with Oceania so guess I learned enough to keep coming back!

Love how you retain your name "Newbie" even after your 15th cruise:D:D